Seat Heater

Abstract

Seat heaters, methods for manufacturing seat heaters, and methods for using seat heaters are provided. A seat heater for use in a vehicle seat includes a graphene-containing electrothermal layer, a first polymer layer contacting and extending along a first side of the graphene-containing electrothermal layer, and a second polymer layer contacting and extending along a second side of the graphene-containing electrothermal layer. The seat heater also includes lead wires connected between the graphene-containing electrothermal layer and a heater control system operatively connected to a power supply. The control system may be controlled using an application programming interface running on a mobile electronic device. The graphene-containing electrothermal layer, the first polymer layer, and the second polymer layer form a flexible sheet that is disposed under a cover of a vehicle seat.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
         1 . A seat heater for use in a vehicle seat comprising:
 a graphene-containing electrothermal layer;   a first polymer layer contacting and extending along a first side of the graphene-containing electrothermal layer;   a second polymer layer contacting and extending along a second side of the graphene-containing electrothermal layer; and   lead wires connected between the graphene-containing electrothermal layer and a heater control system operatively connected to a power supply;   wherein the graphene-containing electrothermal layer, the first polymer layer, and the second polymer layer form a flexible sheet that is disposed under a cover of a vehicle seat.   
     
     
         2 . The seat heater of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheet is shaped to conform to a shape of a portion of the vehicle seat. 
     
     
         3 . The seat heater of  claim 1 , wherein the graphene-containing electrothermal layer has a thickness of approximately 0.01 mil. 
     
     
         4 . The seat heater of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer have a thickness of between approximately 5 mil and approximately 20 mil. 
     
     
         5 . The seat heater of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer comprise a material selected from the group consisting of:
 polyethylene terephthalate (PET);   biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET); and   polycyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate (PCT).   
     
     
         6 . The seat heater of  claim 1 , wherein the graphene-containing electrothermal layer does not contain electrically conductive metal wires extending along the sheet except the lead wires proximate an edge of the sheet. 
     
     
         7 . The seat heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heater control system comprises a variable output having at least eight available output powers. 
     
     
         8 . The seat heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heater control system comprises a wireless communication link to permit control of the seat heater by an application programming interface (API) operating on a mobile computing device. 
     
     
         9 . The seat heater of  claim 8 , wherein the mobile computing device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of:
 a smartphone;   a tablet;   a laptop computer; and   a dedicated seat heater control device.   
     
     
         10 . The seat heater of  claim 1 , wherein the seat heater comprises:
 a first flexible sheet having the graphene-containing electrothermal layer and the first and second polymer layers, the first flexible sheet being disposed in a generally-horizontal portion of the seat; and   a second flexible sheet having the graphene-containing electrothermal layer and the first and second polymer layers, the second flexible sheet being disposed in a generally-vertical portion of the seat.   
     
     
         11 . A method for manufacturing a seat heater for a vehicle, the method comprising:
 providing a first polymer layer;   spreading a graphene-containing mixture on the first polymer layer to form an electrothermal layer on the first polymer layer;   placing a second polymer layer on the electrothermal layer to form a flexible sheet having the electrothermal layer sandwiched between the first and second polymer layers;   cutting the flexible sheet to a shape adapted to provide heat to a desired area of a vehicle seat;   affixing electrical leads to different areas of the electrothermal layer; and   placing the flexible sheet under an outer covering of the desired area of the vehicle seat.   
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the electrothermal layer has a thickness of approximately 0.01 mil. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer comprise a material selected from the group consisting of:
 polyethylene terephthalate (PET);   biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET); and   polycyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate (PCT).   
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the flexible sheet is affixed to the outer covering by a method selected from the group consisting of:
 gluing;   bonding; and   stitching.   
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising operatively attaching the electrical leads to a heater control system. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the flexible sheet is cut into a first flexible sheet placed under a first desired area of the vehicle seat, and a second flexible sheet placed under a second desired area of the vehicle seat. 
     
     
         17 . A seat heater for use in a vehicle seat comprising:
 a graphene-containing electrothermal layer;   a first polymer layer contacting and extending along a first side of the graphene-containing electrothermal layer;   a second polymer layer contacting and extending along a second side of the graphene-containing electrothermal layer; and   lead wires connected between the graphene-containing electrothermal layer and a heater control system operatively connected to a power supply, the heater control system comprising a wireless communication link to permit control of the seat heater by an application programming interface (API) operating on a mobile computing device;   wherein the graphene-containing electrothermal layer, the first polymer layer, and the second polymer layer form a flexible sheet that is disposed under a cover of a vehicle seat.   
     
     
         18 . The seat heater of  claim 17 , wherein the graphene-containing electrothermal layer has a thickness of approximately 0.01 mil. 
     
     
         19 . The seat heater of  claim 17 , wherein the mobile computing device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of:
 a smartphone;   a tablet;   a laptop computer; and   a dedicated seat heater control device.   
     
     
         20 . The seat heater of  claim 17 , wherein the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer comprise a material selected from the group consisting of:
 polyethylene terephthalate (PET);   biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET); and   polycyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate (PCT).